Table 2 Plant height, shoot dry matter and grain yield of common bean as a function of plant growth-promoting bacteria and nano-Zn foliar doses in 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons

Inoculations (I)

Control (no-inoculation)

93 ± 4.25 d

93 ± 4.47

3861 ± 238 e

3908 ± 165 d

3521 ± 424

4076 ± 329

 R. tropici

95 ± 5.25 d

92 ± 7.58

3982 ± 137 d

3982 ± 151 d

3761 ± 177

4199 ± 240

 R. tropici + A. brasilense

98 ± 4.83 c

93 ± 8.29

4081 ± 109 c

4070 ± 181 c

3902 ± 332

4347 ± 290

 R. tropici + B. subtilis

102 ± 3.37 a

97 ± 6.92

4318 ± 102a

4265 ± 148 a

4196 ± 244

4602 ± 145

 R. tropici + P. fluorescens

100 ± 3.35 b

93 ± 7.13

4157 ± 188 b

4120 ± 172 b

3999 ± 277

4452 ± 279

 R. tropici + A. brasilense + B. Subtilis

98 ± 4.42 c

91 ± 3.76

4036 ± 168 c

4052 ± 187 c

3860 ± 427

4340 ± 373

 R. tropici + A. brasilense + P. fluorescens

96 ± 3.48 c

91 ± 4.77

3948 ± 121 d

4018 ± 135c

3708 ± 251

4298 ± 230

Nano-Zn folair spray (kg ha⁻¹)

 0.0

94 c

90.6

4007 b

3961 b

3530

4153

 1.5

100 a

93.8

4119 a

3146 a

4097

4533

 3.0

98 b

94.3

4041 b

4071 a

3921

4305

F values

 I

13**

1.3^ns

67**

9.9**

38**

17**

 Nano-Zn

31**

2.8^ns

23**

15.9**

161**

50**

 I × nano-Zn

0.24^ns

1.0^ns

1.4^ns

0.15^ns

3.2**

2.5*

CV (%)

3

7

2

3.1

3

3.3